Activity, stability, and conformation of methoxypoly(ethylene glycol)-subtilisin at different concentrations of water in dioxane.

The transesterification activity, autolysis, thermal stability and conformation of subtilisin Carlsberg, made soluble in dioxane by covalent linking to methoxypoly(ethylene glycol) (PEG), were investigated as a function of the concentration of water in the medium. Electrospray mass spectrometry showed that the modified enzyme preparation was a mixture of proteins containing from 2 to 5 covalently linked PEG chains per subtilisin molecule. PEG-subtilisin catalyzed transesterification between vinyl butyrate and 1-hexanol was optimum at 0.55 MH(2)O, while hydrolysis prevailed above 2 MH(2)O. There was a decrease in the overall enzyme activity with increasing water concentration because of autolysis and denaturation of the enzyme. Subtilisin powder and celite-immobilized subtilisin were more stable and less susceptible to autolysis than the PEG-modified enzyme. Circular dichroism and intrinsic protein-fluorescence studies showed that the conformation of PEG-subtilisin did not change as a function of water concentrations between 0 and 9 M. The K(m,app) value of PEG-subtilisin for 1-hexanol was highly influenced by water, which behaved as a competitive inhibitor in the transesterification reaction with an affinity for the enzyme similar to that of the alcohol. The K(m,app) for the acylating agent was not significantly modified by water. Lyoprotectants such as sorbitol and free PEG did not influence the activity of PEG-subtilisin but notably increased the activity of subtilisin powder and celite-immobilized subtilisin. The addition of 1.7-5.5 M water, however, rendered enzyme preparations containing no additives as active as those containing the lyoprotectants.

A chemiluminescent flow sensing device for determination of choline and phospholipase D activity in biological samples.

A chemiluminescent flow-sensing device for the determination of phospholipase D (PLD) activity and/or choline (Ch) in biological samples using choline oxidase (ChO) and horseradish peroxidase (HRP) immobilized on Eupergit C (polymer beads of methacrylamide, N-methylene-bis-methacrylamide, and allyl-glycidyl-ether) was developed. The best results were obtained with immobilized ChO and HRP at a polymer beads wet weight ratio of 16:1. The optimized parameters of the developed sensing device were 56 microM luminol in working solution; sample volume, 60 microliters; flow rate, 0.3 ml/min; and sample throughput, 15/h. The detection limit (3 SD) using a luminescent enhancer was 1.2 microM for Ch, corresponding to 0.167 mIU of PLD activity per milliliter. Without enhancer the values were 3.0 microM and 0.417 mIU, respectively. The Ch recovery varied between 80.4 and 109%. The biological samples quenched the luminescent light to different extents, and this matrix effect was readily overcome by measuring the luminescent signal of added Ch standard. The flow biosensor was used for the determination of PLD in samples of different origin, including rape seeds during maturation.

Bioluminescent flow sensor for L-phenylalanine determination in serum.

A highly sensitive and rapid bioluminescent flow sensor was developed for the determination of the content of L-phenylalanine (Phe) in serum by monitoring the reduced form of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH), produced by immobilized phenylalanine dehydrogenase (PheDH), with bacterial bioluminescent enzymes immobilized on a separate nylon coil. The L-PheDHs extracted from Bacillus badius, Bacillus sphaericus and Rhodococcus sp. M 4 were investigated and the performances of the three immobilized L-PheDH's were analysed. The B. badius reactor was found to give higher transformation rate and better sensitivity; the response was linear from 1 to 100 microM at 25 degrees , with a detection limit of 10 pmoles (0.5 microM). The intra- and inter-assay coefficients of variation were less than 5% and recoveries ranged from 90 to 101%. The results agreed well with those obtained with a chromatographic method for the Phe determination in serum and with the normal reference values.

Microdialysis and luminescent probe: analytical and clinical aspects.

Immobilized enzymes are widely used in the clinical laboratory to assay several analytes and enzymes. The use of immobilized enzymes makes these reagents recoverable, disposable and in most cases increases their stability and catalytic activity. In conjunction with bioluminescent enzymes (firefly and bacterial luciferases) and chemiluminescent catalyst (peroxidase) we set up high-sensitive flow sensors based on the use of nylon tube coil or epoxy methacrylate column as solid support. For in-vivo determination a suitable microdialysis probe inserted directly into brain or blood allows continuous measurement of extracellular lactate levels by means of a bioluminescent flow detector system. This procedure performs more measurements in the same time interval than other systems (HPLC), e.g. to give a detailed description of the effects of ischemia, or other pathological events, on lactate concentration in the brain.

Bioluminescent flow sensor for the determination of L-(+)-lactate.

The amount of L-lactate in biological fluids (serum, plasma and cerebrospinal fluid) was determined by monitoring the reduced form of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) produced by immobilised lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), with bacterial bioluminescent enzymes immobilised on a separate nylon coil. The LDH catalysed the reaction of L-lactate with NAD; this reaction took place in a nylon coil that preceded the coil for the bioluminescent detection. The co-immobilisation of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) with LDH improved the lactate transformation by 117-183%. The response was linear from 0.1 to 50 micron mol l(-1) at 25 degrees C for the LDH - ALT reactor. The intra- and inter-assay coefficients of variation were less than 5% and the recoveries ranged from 93 to 106%. The results agreed well with those obtained with a spectrophotometric method and with the normal reference values.

Bioluminescent flow sensors: L-lactate dehydrogenase activity determination in serum.

The catalytic activity of serum L-lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), was determined by monitoring the NADH produced by LDH with bacterial bioluminescent enzymes immobilized on a nylon coil. The LDH reaction of L-lactate with NAD took place in a flow-through mixing coil that preceded the bioluminescent detector coil. The response was linear from 1 to 5000 U/l at 37 degrees C and from 3 to 2000 U/l at 25 degrees C. The intra- and inter-assay reproducibility (CV%) were less than 10% and recovery range was 92% to 110%. The results agreed well with those obtained with a spectrophotometric method.

Continuous-flow bioluminescent determination of ATP in platelets using firefly luciferase immobilized on epoxy methacrylate.

Firefly luciferase was immobilized on epoxy methacrylate beads and used for a continuous-flow assay of ATP extracted from platelets. The immobilized luciferase had a half-life of 3 days at 25 degrees C; there was a 25% recovery of luciferase activity upon immobilization, and ca 50 reactors were made from 1 mg of commercial enzyme. The sensitivity of the assay was 0.3 pmol of ATP, and the response was linear between 1 and 500 pmol of ATP. The ATP content of platelets obtained with the present method correlated well with those obtained using soluble luciferase.

Continuous-flow automated assay of steroids with nylon-tube-immobilized hydroxysteroid dehydrogenases.

Several NAD(P)+-dependent hydroxysteroid dehydrogenases, namely 3 alpha-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase, beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase, 7 alpha-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase, and 12 alpha-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase were separately immobilized on nylon tubes for the continuous-flow automated assay of hydroxysteroids. 3 alpha-Hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase was also immobilized on pore glass. Spectrophotometric monitoring in the visible region, where blank values were markedly reduced, was achieved through the Meldola blue catalyzed transfer of hydrogen from NAD(P)H to a tetrazolium salt. Nylon-tube-immobilized enzymes maintained 45-55% of the original activity after 1 month of intermittent use. The operational range, using the "end point" approach, was 1-25 nmol of steroid and the assay speed 10-15 samples/h. Reliable results were obtained in the determination of 3 alpha-hydroxysteroids and 3 beta, 17 beta-hydroxysteroids in urine and total bile acids in serum.

Continuous-flow determination of primary bile acids, by bioluminescence, with use of nylon-immobilized bacterial enzymes.

We describe a continuous-flow bioluminescence method for measuring primary bile acid in serum, with nylon as the solid support. 7 alpha-Hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1. 159), a bacterial luciferase (EC 1.14.14.3), and NAD+:FMN oxido-reductase (EC 1.6.8.1) are covalently co-immobilized on a nylon coil (1 m X 1.0 mm i.d.). The assay is highly specific for 7 alpha-hydroxy bile acids. Other bile acids and steroids do not interfere. The continuous-flow light-emitting system, in which the reactor (nylon coil) is placed in front of a photomultiplier tube inside a luminometer, is versatile and simple. The flow is air-segmented, and serum samples (5-50 microL) can be injected directly. Concentration and response are linearly related from 10 to 2500 pmol per assay tube. The precision of the method is satisfactory (CV 5-10%), both inter- and intra-assay. We validated the technique by comparing results with those by RIA, enzyme immunoassay, and "high-performance" liquid chromatography. More than 20 samples an hour can be analyzed, with no carryover. The nylon-immobilized enzymes are stable for more than two months, and greater than 500 samples can be analyzed with use of a few milligrams of enzymes. Normal values for bile acid content of serum ranged from 1 to 2.5 mumol/L, in agreement with those obtained by other methods.

The effect of Hofmeister anions and protein concentration on the activity and stability of some immobilized NAD-dependent dehydrogenases.

The effect of several factors on the activity and stability of alcohol dehydrogenase, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, and 20beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase, both free and immobilized on CNBr-activated Sepharose 4B, was investigated. Enzymes were im- mobilized under different conditions including various degrees of matrix activation, variable amounts of protein, in the presence, or in the absence of, additives (coenzymes, dithioth- reitol, salts). Activity recovery was in general satisfactorily high with 20beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase, low with glyceraldehyde-3-phosphatedehydrogenase, and markedly linked to the concentration of immobilized protein with alcohol dehydrogenase. In the latter case the advantageous stabilizing effect of high enzyme concentrations was notably diminished by the parallel decrease of the effectiveness factor. The effect of high concentrations of anions of the Hofmeister series was examined. It was found that 1M phosphate and 0.5M sulfate dramatically stabilize both free and immobilized enzymes against inactivation by temperature and urea. K(m), values of apolar substrates were considerably lowered by the two anions while K(m) values of polar substrates were not affected. In some cases V(max) values also were influenced by high concentrations of these anions. The present results appear of interest particularly in view of enzyme utilization for analytical as well as for preparative purposes.